I. Field of the Disclosure
The illustrative embodiments relate to wearable devices. More particularly, but not exclusively, the illustrative embodiments relate to earpieces.
II. Description of the Art
The growth of wearable devices is increasing exponentially. This growth is fostered by the decreasing size of microprocessors, circuity boards, chips, and other components. The ear and ear canal provide a potentially rich environment for the collection of biometric data through the use of wearable devices and, particularly, earpieces. This is, in part, because the external ear canal sits in close proximity to the central nervous system moving anteromedially until its termination at the tympanic membrane. While the ear canal represents an advantageous environment for the collection of biometric data, the microenvironment of the external auditory ear canal poses certain challenges to devices that occupy some or all of its luminal area. Chief among these issues is the biologic production of cerumen. Cerumen is a mixture of viscous secretions from the sebaceous glands as well as less viscous components from the apocrine sweat glands, desquamated epithelial cells, with a component of saturated and unsaturated long-chain fatty acids, alcohols, squalene and cholesterol. This poses a significant risk to the delicate electronics packages contained in electronic devices purposed to exist at or near the external auditory canal. Further damage to delicate electronic circuitry is elevated to the possibility of sweat exposure, with its mixture of water, sodium and other components. What is needed is an approach to protect delicate electronics packages in such potentially harsh environmental conditions.